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EHX TORTION
JFET Overdrive/Preamp
Congratulations on your purchase of the EHX TORTION, the most advanced and
dynamic overdrive pedal on the market today. The EHX TORTION uses analog
JFET technology to reproduce the overdrive and distortion character of a tube
amplifier, all in a compact, durable die-cast chassis. Three-band EQ and a Pre-
Gain switch hone your sound, and a footswitchable BOOST mode adds a second
channel of modern high-gain tones.
WARNING:
Your EHX TORTION comes equipped with an Electro-Harmonix 9.6DC-200BI
power supply (same as used by Boss
®
& Ibanez
®
: 9.6 Volts DC 200mA). The EHX
TORTION requires 27mA at 9VDC with a center negative plug. Using the wrong adapter
may damage your unit and void the warranty. The EHX TORTION also accepts 9V
batteries, we recommend alkaline.
- MODES OF OPERATION: NORMAL VS. BOOST -
The EHX TORTION operates in two modes: NORMAL and BOOST. The NORMAL
mode uses three JFET stages for low to medium gain sounds. The volume and
gain controls for NORMAL mode are located in the top row of knobs. The boost
mode is activated with the BOOST footswitch, and adds a fourth gain stage for
modern high-gain tones. The BOOST volume and gain knobs are on the bottom
row of the controls. The volume and gain controls for each mode are completely
independent, allowing the two modes to function like two separate channels on a
tube amplifier.
- CONTROLS -
GAIN Knob
– The NORMAL GAIN knob is on the top row. This knob controls the
amount of input gain when the pedal is in NORMAL mode. This knob is disabled
when in BOOST mode.
PRE-GAIN
Switch
– This switch controls the level and tone of the initial input
signal to the EHX TORTION. This switch has four settings. The two leftmost
settings select a lower input level, for vintage plexi tones. The two rightmost
settings are higher gain for a modern, hot-rodded sound. Each pre-gain setting
has two tone selections: Full or Tight, indicated by
F
and
T
. The Full setting has
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more bass for a bigger sound. The Tight setting focuses the bass frequencies for
a more modern tone.
BASS Knob
– Controls the level of the bass frequency range.
MID Knob
– Controls the level of the middle frequency range.
TREBLE Knob
– Controls the level of the treble frequency range.
VOL Knob
– The NORMAL VOL knob is on the top row. This knob controls the
output level of the EHX TORTION when in NORMAL mode. This knob is disabled
when in BOOST mode.
BOOST GAIN Knob
– The BOOST GAIN knob is on the bottom row. This knob
controls the amount of input gain when the pedal is in BOOST mode. This knob
is completely independent from the NORMAL GAIN knob, and is disabled when in
Normal mode.
BOOST VOL Knob
– The BOOST VOL knob is on the bottom row. This knob
controls the output level of the EHX TORTION when in BOOST mode. This knob
is completely independent from the NORMAL VOL knob, and is disabled when in
Normal mode.
BYPASS Footswitch and red LED
– This footswitch selects whether the EHX
TORTION is engaged or in buffered bypass mode. When the effect is engaged,
the red LED will be lit.
BOOST Footswitch and blue LED
– This footswitch toggles Boost mode on
and off. When in Boost mode, the blue LED will be lit.
INPUT Jack
– This ¼” jack is the audio input for the EHX TORTION. The input
impedance is 1M
Ω
.
OUTPUT Jack
– This ¼” jack is the audio output from the EHX TORTION. The
output impedance depends on the VOLUME setting, ranging from 250
Ω
to 25k
Ω
.
BOOST SW Jack
– Allows an external momentary footswitch to control toggling
Boost mode on and off. The external switch should be normally open. Upon
engaging the switch, it should create a short circuit between the Tip and Sleeve
of the plug inserted into the BOOST SW jack on the EHX TORTION. Releasing
the switch should open the circuit between the Tip and Sleeve. The BOOST SW
jack is connected in parallel with the BOOST Footswitch so they can both work at
the same time. A suggested momentary footswitch that has been tested with the
EHX TORTION is the Boss FS-5U Momentary Foot Switch.
DI OUTPUT Jack
– This is a low impedance output capable of driving 600
Ω
to
plug directly into a mixing console or recording equipment. The DI output uses
an all-analog amp/cabinet simulator to create the sound of a real 4x12 cabinet.
